Tubeless tire changing system using a pseudo axle

ABSTRACT

An assembly for mounting and demounting motorcycle tires composed of a wall mounting frame with spindle that projects perpendicular to the wall and a removable mount/demount bar. The motorcycle wheel hub is mounted on the spindle. The mount/demount bar is fixed in place at the end of the spindle so as to resist rotational force in a vertical plane. With demount bar tool head positioned for levering the tire off the rim or forcing it onto the rim the wheel is turned on the spindle. The tool is wall mounted for space-efficient operation and allows the wheel to be balanced on the spindle by allowing the wheel to spin freely on its own bearings.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable, however reference is made to Provisional Application number 61/207,512.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable. No rights to these inventions result from federally sponsored research and development. These inventions have been made without any federally sponsored research and development.

REFERENCE TO A SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to tools, and more particularly to motorcycle tubeless tire changers. Specifically, it relates to such tire changers as are manually operated. The vast majority of existing tools available for changing tubeless motor vehicle tires may be categorized within two basic technologies.

The first and original category is the tire iron, often referred to as a spoon. Tire irons are simple bars used manually as a lever to urge a tire wall over a tire rim. Mounting and demounting tubeless tires using tire irons is a very difficult and time-consuming task that can easily damage tires and wheels.

The second category of tool is the tire-changing pedestal that locks a wheel horizontally onto a base so that a mounting/demounting lever can be rotated around the rim to separate the old tire and install the new tire. A variation on this tire changing pedestal is a system that locks onto the tire rim and spins the tire while an external fixed mounting/demounting lever removes the old tire and installs the new tire. The tire changing pedestals must be firmly attached to a floor or solid surface by bolts or similar means, and require a significant amount of space for operation. Tire changing pedestals have the advantage of firmly holding a wheel in place while performing the tire changing operation; however the heavy weight of these systems makes them difficult to install or move. They also require over 25 square feet of floor space for convenient operation. The large size and heavy weight of tire changing pedestals makes them too bulky and expensive to be practical for most non-commercial applications.

A third category of the technology which includes the present invention falls between the previously mentioned technologies. This third category involves manually operated tools that either require the wheel to be mounted a on a base plate or frame or require that an axle or spindle be inserted into the wheel hub to act as a fulcrum against which mount/demount arms may be rotated to mount or dismount a tire. Previous attempts to address the need for a manual tire mount/demount mechanism are represented by patent publication number U.S. 2003/0066613 A1 dated Apr. 10, 2003, U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,848 dated Apr. 21, 1998, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,818,967 dated Jun. 25, 1974.

Patent 2003/0066613 A1 has the disadvantages that it requires that a wheel be affixed to a base plate, that a drive mechanism be provided, and that a separate receiver be provided for a bead rolling tool, and it does not provide a mechanism for balancing wheels.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,848 has the disadvantages that it requires that a wheel be fitted with a tire rim engager comprised of a disc and a detachable ring for fitting the tool to a wheel, it does not provide a wheel holding mechanism for countering the force of the mount/demount lever and therefore requires an additional force to hold the wheel in place, and it does not provide a device for balancing wheels.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,818,967 claims that “[S]ubstantially balanced, opposite rotational forces” make the invention self stabilizing but does not provide a wheel holding mechanism for countering the force of the cranking handle therefore it requires an additional force to hold the wheel in place, it introduces a second counter rotating tool head arm which increases resistance relative to a single tool head of conventional tire mounting devices, and it does not provide a device for balancing wheels.

The present invention is simple to produce. It allows for the omission of the element of a pedestal, yet it address the need for holding a wheel in a fixed position without requiring an additional force to hold the wheel in place while applying force to the tool head. It provides a wheel balancing capability thus eliminating the need for an additional wheel balancing tool, and it does not require a rim engager.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This tubeless tire changing system is composed of a wall mounted spindle and mount/demount bar, and may include a wheel rotating tool for increased leverage. This tubeless tire changing system takes advantage of the relatively small size motorcycle tires and take advantage of the configuration of the presence of motorcycle wheel bearings. This system uses a spindle as a pseudo axle to suspend the wheel and tire in a vertical plane. When a wheel is removed from a vehicle its axle is also removed from the hub of the wheel however the wheel bearings remain in the wheel hub. The wheel hub is then slipped over the spindle which acts as a pseudo axle. With the wheel mounted on the spindle a mount/demount bar is attached to the end of the spindle and locked in place. To demount a tire, the demount bar tool head is inserted between the wheel rim and the lip of the tire wall. The wheel is then spun on the spindle until one lip of the tire is separated from the rim. The process is repeated for the opposite tire wall to complete separation of the tire from the wheel. The demount bar is then rotated so that the mounting tool head faces the tire and the process is reversed to mount the new tire. The purpose of the invention is to provide a tire mounting system that is simple in design, requires less space to operate, does not require permanent fixture to a floor, is easier to operate than other manual tire changing tools, and provides the spindle as a mount for static balancing rather than requiring a separate wheel balancing apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING:

Drawing 1/7 depicts a side view of the invention showing the relationship of the parts to each other prior to assembly. The parts include a base (10), spindle (20), mount/demount bar (30), optional locking collar (32), and locking bolt (33).

Drawing 2/7 depicts a top view of the invention showing the relationship of the parts to each other prior to assembly.

Drawing 3/7 depicts a front expanded view of the invention showing the base (10), spindle (20) and mount/demount bar (30).

Drawing 4/7 depicts a front view of the invention showing the base (10), spindle (20) and mount/demount bar (30) in assembled position prior to

Drawing 5/7 depicts the mount/demount bar (20) in side view (FIG. 1A), top view

(FIG. 1B), and front view (FIG. 1C).

Drawing 6/7 depicts the optional locking collar (32), in rear view (FIG. 2A), and top view (FIG. 2B).

Drawing 7/7 depicts an assembled view of the invention with a wheel (99) mounted on the spindle to illustrate the invention as it will be used.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The earliest commercially produced vehicle tires were simple in construction Tires have become increasingly complex over time with the introduction of tubeless tires with new compounds and belting materials. These changes resulted in stiffer tire sidewalls that resist the stretching of sidewalls required for the mounting and demounting of tires. The earliest tires could easily be mounted on wheel rims using simple levers commonly referred to as spoons. Many improvements have been made to the tire changing tools art, but most have been focused on the larger market of car and truck tires and wheels which are significantly different than motorcycle tires and wheels.

Although most motorcycle tires can still be changed using spoons, the process is very labor intensive and often results in damage to tires and wheels. Commercial establishments typically rely on pedestal mounted tire changers that are smaller and simpler versions of tire changers used for automobile and truck tires. These tools are typically too expensive and require too much room to operate to be practical for private use in a home or apartment.

The existing tools available for changing tubeless motor vehicle tires consist of two basic technologies. The first and original tool is the tire iron. Tire irons are simple bars used to lever a tire from a tire rim. Mounting and demounting tubeless tires using tire irons is a very difficult and time-consuming task. The second type of tool is the tire-changing pedestal. The tire-changing pedestal typically locks a wheel horizontally so that a mounting/demounting lever can be rotated around the rim to separate the old tire and install the new tire. A variation on this tire changing pedestal is a system that locks onto the tire rim and spins the wheel while an external fixed mounting/demounting lever removes the old tire and installs the new tire. The tire changing pedestal must be firmly attached to a floor or solid surface by bolts or similar means, and require a significant amount of space for operation. The weight of the systems is typically over 60 pounds, which makes them difficult to install or move. They also require over 25 square feet of floor space for convenient operation. The large size and heavy weight of tire changing pedestals makes them too bulky and expensive to be practical for most non-commercial applications.

The purpose of this tubeless tire changing system is to provide a simple and low cost tire changing and balancing system for tubeless tire applications. It applies to wheels with hubs containing multiple bearings, such as motorcycle wheels. This system bridges the gap between use of manual tire irons and the heavier, larger and more complex tire changing machines currently in use.

The process for making this invention involves standard machine shop procedures to cut and weld parts of hardened steel composition. It may also involve coating certain parts with non-abrasive materials to minimize the possibility of scratching or marring wheels.

This invention consists of a wall mounted spindle used as a pseudo axle to suspend the wheel and tire in a vertical plane, and a mount/demount bar with mount and demount tool heads on obverse sides of the demount bar. To operate this invention the motorcycle wheel hub is mounted on the spindle. With the wheel mounted on the spindle, the demount bar tool head is inserted between the wheel rim and the lip of the tire wall and the opposite end of the demount bar is attached to the spindle in such a way that it is locked in place to resist rotation in the vertical plane. An optional locking collar may be used, and a bolt, nut or pin may be used to affixed the mount/demount bar to the end of the spindle. With demount bar tool head positioned for levering the tire off the rim or forcing it onto the rim the wheel is turned on the spindle. The wheel is rotated on the spindle until the tire lip is separated from the rim. To mount a new tire on the rim the demount bar is reversed so that the mounting tool head is facing the wheel and the process is repeated. The tire changing system may also include a wheel rotating tool for increased leverage. This invention uses the structure of a motorcycle wheel hub to allow the wheel to spin on its own bearings in a vertical plane on a pseudo axle. An unexpected benefit of this arrangement is that it further allows the eccentric weight of the wheel to be balanced by allowing the wheel to spin freely on its own bearings, and counterbalancing the heavier portion of the wheel that settles to the bottom of the circle of rotation by attaching balancing weights. This capability eliminates the need for a separate wheel balancing apparatus.

There are no other tire changing systems available that take full advantage of the hollow hub structure of a motorcycle wheel, use a spindle for holding the wheel in place to eliminate movement of the wheel while applying force to the mount/demount tool head, and use a wheel pseudo axle as a fixed mount for the mount/demount bar.

Advantages and New Features. One advantage of the invention is that the work space required to change a tire using this tool is significantly less than that required for other types of tire changers. It does not require a table, floor surface, floor mounted frame or trailer hitch to steady the tire and wheel while forces are applied to separate the tire from the rim.

A second advantage is the simplicity of this tool. Its primary parts consists only of a base with spindle and a mount/demount bar and bolt. This is the simplest tool design possible for bracing both the wheel and the tool used to lever the tire on and off of the wheel rim while mounting a tire.

A third advantage is that the spindle can also be used as a balancing mount. Since most motorcycle wheels come with a bearing on each side of the axle hub the wheel may be balanced using the spindle as a static balancing tool, with which the wheel is snugly fitted to the spindle, and the heavy section of a wheel will rotate to the bottom and counterweights can be added to the top portion of the wheel until balance is achieved. This is a new and unexpected result of creating the wall mounted spindle for supporting the wheel during the tire changing process.

A fourth advantage is that the wheel is braced in a plane on the spindle while counterforce is applied to the wheel and tire without the use of clamping mechanisms. Bracing the wheel significantly reduces the effort required for separation or mounting and is required in some form for all types of tire changing methods. Various methods of bracing wheels in place involve clamps that may mar the wheel, allow the wheel to slide within the clamping device while exerting counterforce on the wheel, or may deform the wheel from extreme clamping pressure. Wall mounting the tire changing tool and slidably fitting the wheel on the spindle eliminates the need for the wheel rim to be clamped in position. This greatly diminishes the probability of damaging the wheel or tire.

A fifth advantage is that this system can be mounted on the inside wall of an enclosed trailer for use at special events. Hauling motorcycles to such events requires that trailers be large enough to contain the motorcycles, but be as small as possible to reduce the trailer cost and reduce the load on the tow vehicle. This invention allows a traveler to take a tire changing tool to a motorcycle track event where tires are frequently changed and replace and balance tires quickly and easily with a minimum amount of space being dedicated to tire changing equipment.

Alternatives. This tire-changing system is designed predominantly for the changing of motorcycle tires, but can be adapted for use with other vehicle wheels having a hollow center and containing bearings in the hub. The demount bar may be interchangeably configured with variously shaped distal ends to for mounting the tires on the wheel rim or removing the tire from the wheel rim. Various spacers, shims and collets may be added to allow fitment of varying diameter or width of wheel hubs. A wheel wrench may be used to allow the operator to gain leverage to turn the wheel against the resistance of the demount tool.

TIRE CHANGER PARTS LIST Part # DESCRIPTION

-   10 Base -   20 Spindle -   30 Demount Arm -   32 Demount Arm Slide Sleeve -   33 Demount Arm Slide Screw -   99 Demonstration Wheel

TIRE CHANGER DRAWINGS LIST Drawing # DESCRIPTION

-   1/7 Base Unit     -   FIG. 1A—Base Unit, Side View -   2/7 Base Unit     -   FIG. 1B—Base Unit, Top View -   3/7 MC Tire Changer Assembly     -   FIG. 2A—Assembly, Exploded View -   4/7 MC Tire Changer Assembly     -   FIG. 2B—Assembly, Front View -   5/7 Demount Arm     -   FIG. 3A—Demount Arm Side View     -   FIG. 3B—Demount Arm Top View     -   FIG. 3C—Demount Arm Front View -   6/7 Demount Arm Slide Sleeve     -   FIG. 4A—Demount Arm Slide Sleeve Front View     -   FIG. 4B—Demount Arm Slide Sleeve Top View -   7/7 MC Tire Changer Assembly with Demonstration Wheel     -   FIG. 5—Assembly w/wheel 

1. I claim an assembly for mounting and demounting motorcycle tires to/from wheel rims comprising: a frame suitable for mounting the device to a wall, a spindle attached to said frame such that said spindle will project perpendicular to the wall when said frame is attached to a wall, and a removable mount/demount bar that can be fixed in place by fastener such as nut, bolt or pin at the end of said spindle in such a way as to resist rotational force on the axis of said spindle in a plane parallel to said wall.
 2. The wall mounting frame of claim one further comprising: an x shaped frame with holes whereby said frame can be mounted to a wall.
 3. The Spindle of claim one further comprising: a cylindrical rod or tube affixed at one end to the center of a flat base and perpendicular to the plane of said base that can be firmly attached to wall mounting frame, the opposing end of said cylindrical rod or tube having chamfer or spline along the lateral surface, and a threaded hole or threaded bolt along the axis of said cylinder or rod on the end of the cylindrical rod or tube at the end of the rod or tube opposing the base.
 4. The removable mount/demount bar of claim one further comprising: a bar having near one end of said bar an opening through said bar and centered on the width of said bar contoured for mating on chamfer or spline, and at the opposing end of said bar a projection suitable for guiding the lip of a tire over the edge of a wheel rim for mounting or demounting of tire. 